Retirement for BSNL woman staff for entering Ayyappa temple

KOCHI: State-run telecommunications company, BSNL, has ordered compulsory retirement of its employee and activist Rehana Fathima, who had attempted to enter the Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala, for her "intentional" act of outraging the religious feelings of devotees through social media posts.

Fathima, a Telecom technician with the BSNL, was suspended from service following her arrest in November 2018 for allegedly hurting religious sentiments through her Facebook posts.

Condemning the decision, the activist said she would challenge the compulsory retirement order issued to her by the company at the appropriate forum.

Talking to reporters, she alleged political intervention behind the decision.

In its order issued to Fathima, the company said it took the decision after conducting an internal inquiry on her conduct.

The company said there were many agitations against entry of women into the temple during the Sabarimala pilgrimage season in 2018 and during this period, Fathima A S, "being a woman BSNL employee conducted herself in a manner that had resulted in a criminal case being filed against her and her subsequent arrest."

"An official working in BSNL is always expected to conduct in the best interests of BSNL. Hence, such acts on the part of Fathima A S are subversive of discipline and amount to misconduct," the company said in its order issued to Fathima.